HybridToyota Prius

When it launches this spring, the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius will once again set new standards for innovative hybrid design and technology, raising its
level of convenience features and performance to new heights, including a combined EPA estimated fuel efficiency rating of 50 miles-per-gallon.
Celebrated as the benchmark for cars of the future, the Prius has delivered superior fuel economy and ultra-low emissions to more than 1.2 million
owners worldwide for more than 10 years. The midsize third-generation 2010 Prius will offer even better mileage ratings, enhanced performance, and
innovative design features. It will be quieter, roomier, and equipped with advanced standard and available features such as a moonroof with solar panels,
four driving modes, Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA) and steering wheel touch controls that display on the instrument panel. “The Prius has evolved with
our customers over the past 10 years and is now more things to more people,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager, Toyota
Division. “It’s environmental, innovative, and practical. It’s an everyday car for everyday use, and when it goes on sale a few months from now, we believe
that its new features will appeal to returning owners, while at the same time attract buyers who are looking for innovative technology with a hybrid
powertrain.” An Eco-Icon...Prius entered the market in 1997 as the world’s first mass-produced hybrid. The name Prius, “to go before” in Latin, became
symbolic of a car that was launched even before environmental awareness had become a mainstream social issue. From the beginning, Toyota’s
full-hybrid system was developed almost entirely in-house and has become a driving force behind advanced vehicle technology. The company’s exclusive
Hybrid Synergy Drive System was introduced in 2004 on the second-generation Prius. Since then, more than 700,000 have been sold in the U.S. In
designing the new, third-generation Prius, Toyota engineers combined a careful refinement of existing systems with an aggressive measure of new
technology necessary for the future of automobiles. During the development of the Prius, more than 1,000 applications for patents were filed worldwide.
[Via Toyota.com]